Kuchisake-onna is a Japanese yokai with a slit mouth who wears a surgical mask and asks victims if she is beautiful. She targets school children and has a legend dating back to the Heian period. Different versions offer ways to save oneself, but if the victim says no or runs away, Kuchisake-onna kills them. She appears in modern Japanese media.
Kuchisake-onna is a vengeful Japanese spirit, or yokai, with its mouth open from ear to ear. Her name means “woman with slit mouth” and she is said to roam the streets at night wearing a surgical mask and asking victims of her, “Am I beautiful?” In 1979, there were many reports of sightings of Kuchisake-onna across Japan and the ghost was said to target school children.
The story of Kuchisake-onna is thought to originate in a legend dating back to the Heian period (794-1185). According to legend, a samurai had a very vain wife or concubine whom he suspected of infidelity. Her husband mutilated her in jealousy, asking, “Who will find you beautiful now?”
In modern Japanese urban legend, Kuchisake-onna has evolved into a monster that prowls the city streets looking for victims. She appears as a beautiful young woman wearing a surgical mask, which is not uncommon in Japan, as people with colds often wear them to protect others. She asks her victim: “Am I beautiful?” and usually she answers herself in the affirmative. She then tears off her mask, revealing her slit mouth, and repeats her question.
If the victim says no or runs away, Kuchisake-onna kills her. Kuchisake-onna is usually equipped with a sharp bladed weapon, in some cases a large scythe. In the case of a female victim, the ghost could transform her into another Kuchisake-onna.
Different versions of Kuchisake-onna’s story offer different ways to save oneself if approached by the monster. In some tales, he will leave the victim alone if she still says Kuchisake-onna is beautiful after her mask is removed. In other versions, however, this will only delay death, and the correct answer is “You look normal.” Other stories suggest throwing something attractive, such as a piece of fruit or candy, away from oneself to distract Kuchisake-onna.
Kuchisake-onna appears in many modern Japanese media, including references to anime and film series. A film titled Kuchisake-onna released in 1996 updated the legend by making the monster the result of botched plastic surgery.
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